Danny Caro

I'm sure I was not the only one who feared the worst when I heard the headlines 'Bridge collapse threatens Games'. Events surrounding the Commonwealth Games in India brought back terrible memories of two recent Maccabiah Games.

No-one wants reminding of the terrible events that surrounded the 1997 Jewish Olympics. Four Australian athletes lost their lives marching into the opening ceremony when a makeshift bridge collapsed into the highly-polluted waters of the Yarkon River in Tel Aviv.

London Lions took a valuable point against high flying Hoddesdon Town in the South Midlands League Division One.

Andy Glynne's second-half goal ensured Lions took a point after a poor first-half performance.

Both sides were devoid of regular first team players and the game and result reflected that. Among the absentees for the Lions were top-scorer James Gershfield, Adam Stolerman, Craig Ellis, Danny Berg and Ben Ellis. Blustery conditions in Broxbourne made it difficult for both teams to find any rhythm and resulted in a scrappy affair.

Israel have been drawn at home to Poland in the second round of next year’s Davis Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group 1.

Both teams received a bye in the first round but will play the tie on the date scheduled for the first round - the weekend of March 4, 2011.

The winners will move onto the promotion playoff for the World Group in September.

The tie is set to be held at the Ramat Hasharon Tennis Centre after disappointing attendances at the much larger Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv last week when Israel lost 3-2 to Austria and were relegated from the World Group after three years.

Heath Banta came through a potentially tricky JC Cyril Anekstein Cup tie against league new boys Inter Borehamwood with goal-poacher Stefan Simons popping up with another hat-trick. Some of the key moments are captured here. Photos by Marc Morris.

Not everyone finds fasting for 25 hours a straightforward task. For me, the last couple of hours are the toughest but this year some sporting trivia saw me through to the conclusion of Yom Kippur - after I was all repented out.

There is no doubt that there are some talented sportsmen at virtually every shul. In London, Norrice Lea is full of big players while Barnet has a thriving cricket section, as does Cockfosters and North Southgate.

Daryl Phillips, assistant-manager of Faithfold A, has called for calm after the Superhoops went three points clear at the top of the Premier Division after beating defending champions North West Neasden A.

Victories in their first three matches against title rivals Hendon United Sports Club A, London Maccabi Lions A and Neasden have put Faithfold in a strong position as they look to win the title for the first time since 2005.

Phillips said: "This was another squad performance where everyone did a job."

Hendon Hawks Under 9's secured their first points of the season with a fantastic performance against Redbridge in which two players grabbed braces.

Joseph Pliener was at the centre of all the action in Sunday's encounter and was on hand to assist Dan Silver in opening the scoring with a through ball for Silver to latch onto a pass and slide past the Redbridge keeper. Pliener and Silver were denied several goal-scoring opportunities during the first half due to a fantastic performance by the Redbridge keeper; one worthy of an England call up, according to one spectator.

MAL picked up their 15th win of the 2010 season with a five-wicket win away to Old Parkonians in Ilford.

Parkonians won the toss and chose to bat, with the pitch looking pretty well-grassed. The opening batsmen struggled to get the ball away with Mark Landau and Charlie Sherrard bowling tight opening spells. The first boundary off the bat did not come until the 11th over of the innings as Shaheed looked to strike across the line in desperation. The first wicket came in Sherrard's seventh over, Grant Traub taking the catch at square leg, with Shaheed departing for 18.

The goal deluge continued in the Maccabi Masters League with 33 being notched up in six games.

In Division 1, and despite going behind to a Greg Morris goal, Brady A won the early season title indicator 4-1 over arch rivals Glenthorne A, thanks to a brace from Mark Wagman and goals from David Sawyer and Scott Ansher.

Meanwhile South Mancs A recorded their first win, beating North London Raiders 2-0 with strikes from Gavin Sherman and Paul Rodin.

The Jewish football season has suffered its first casualty just two weeks into the new season after South Manx folded.

The Premier Division club informed the league of their decision two days after Sunday's 3-1 defeat against defending champions North West Neasden A. Their withdrawal leaves the league with 52 teams. Manx's B team withdrew from the league 12 months ago and they are left with two teams playing in the Maccabi Masters League.

Redbridge Jewish Care A made it 11 goals in two games as they put newly-promoted Southgate Harmen A to the sword with a 6-1 win in the Premier Division. Sam McCarthy (2), Daran Bern (2), Danny Hakimi and Ben Sollosi completed the rout. Ben Graham grabbed a consolation for Harmen.

RJC manager Sam McCarthy said: "There was a greater pressure on the team going into this match as we needed to show we were not a one-game wonder. I was pleased the team responded in the right way and came out with the same level of commitment and fight."

My early memories of going to football started at Claremont Road, home to Hendon FC. I remember using 50p vouchers from the Roy of the Rovers magazine to get in on matchdays. The club, which has a big Jewish fan-base, has experienced testing times recently including moving away from their spiritual home to the Vale Farm in Wembley, so it is great to hear that Hendon has fallen into safe hands with the club's die-hard supporters taking charge.